2016 Chevrolet Camaro: First Spy Photos of the All-New Car!

The move to GM's rear-drive Alpha platform brings a welcome reduction in size.

What It Is: Chevrolet’s next Ford Mustang fighter, photographed while testing and with current GM products nearby for scale. That last bit is important, because we know the 2016 Camaro is migrating to the same rear-drive Alpha platform that underpins the Cadillac ATS, and the move is expected to bring a reduction in size.

Why It Matters: With a new Mustang about to take the pony-car segment by storm and Dodge’s insane 707-hp Challenger SRT Hellcat stealing headlines, Chevrolet needs to get the Camaro in fighting shape, and soon. The shift to GM’s lighter, scalable Alpha platform will cure many of the ills that plague today’s Camaro—among them its portly curb weight, big footprint, and long roof that imparts a sedan-ish profile. The car currently rides on a cut-down version of the same Zeta architecture that underpins larger sedans like the Chevrolet SS and fleet-duty Caprice.

Platform: Have we mentioned the Alpha bones enough yet? While that architecture is also underneath the Cadillac CTS, these photos make it clear that the new car will hew closer to the ATS in size. Our spy photographer snagged this camouflaged Camaro near other GM products for which we have spec sheets, including a Cadillac Escalade ESV and a Chevrolet Impala.

Comparing the wheelbases of the Camaro prototype and the Impala—that specific image suffers less perspective distortion—reveals the test mule to have a roughly 109.32-inch wheelbase. Unsurprisingly, this figure is more or less identical to that of the ATS coupe and sedan, and a full three inches shorter than the wheelbase of today’s Camaro. The ATS is one of the best-handling cars around, which should bode well for the Camaro’s dynamics. Also helping handling—not to mention fuel economy—will be an expected curb-weight reduction of 300 to 400 pounds.

Getting a handle on the 2016 Camaro’s length and width is made nearly impossible, however, thanks to this prototype’s heavy camouflage. Most of the cover-up job intentionally misrepresents the body’s shape, especially around the rear-window and C-pillar areas, and the extra padding atop the hood and rear fenders. Some sheetmetal visible through the camo hints at a faster roofline than the current Camaro’s, and the front and rear ends likely taper far more than the camo would lead you to believe. The quad exhaust outlets on this mule indicate that it is at least a V-8–powered SS model, but the ZL1-style split-spoke wheels and the possible presence of a decklid spoiler could point to an even higher-performance variant.

Powertrain: We don’t see V-6 and V-8 engine choices going anywhere, but a turbocharged four-cylinder could join the options list to give Chevrolet ammunition against the EcoBoost Mustang.We also expect that the latest, fifth-generation small-block V-8 from the Corvette and Silverado will replace the current Camaro’s 6.2-liter LS3 engine, and the CTS Vsport’s twin-turbo 3.6-liter V-6 should fit just fine, too. Buyers likely will still have the option to manually shift through six transmission speeds, while the automatic gearbox should be GM’s eight-speeder.

Estimated Arrival and Price: The new Camaro will debut sometime in 2015 and go on sale later the same year as a 2016 model. A convertible will likely follow a bit later, but there will be a convertible. Don’t expect the starting sticker to stray too far from today’s $24,550 base price. Camaro pricing will need to line up fairly well with Ford’s pricing for the new Mustang, after all.